Choose Zapier when
You need the widest connector library, no infrastructure at all, and non-technical colleagues building their own automations. Its app catalogue is larger than n8n's and its onboarding is simpler.
Compare n8n hosting →Comparison · Workflow automation
n8n vs Zapier two different pricing models.
Zapier charges per task and runs only on Zapier's cloud. n8n is source-available, can be self-hosted, and prices by workflow execution rather than by step. That single difference decides most of these comparisons: a workflow with twenty steps costs twenty tasks on Zapier and one execution on n8n.
- Per task
- How Zapier bills
- Per execution
- How n8n bills
- Self-host
- Available for n8n
- 8,000+
- Zapier app connectors
Pick the tool that matches the work, not the louder brand.
Both tools automate across applications. They diverge on who operates the runtime, how a multi-step workflow is billed, and how much of the logic you are allowed to write yourself.
Choose n8n when
Workflows are long, run often, or touch data you would rather keep on your own infrastructure. Per-execution pricing and self-hosting both favour high-volume, multi-step work.
View n8n hosting →Cost at volume
A 20-step workflow run 1,000 times is 20,000 Zapier tasks and 1,000 n8n executions. The gap widens as workflows get longer, which is why heavy users migrate.
See pricing →Code when you need it
n8n allows JavaScript and Python inside a workflow, so an edge case does not require leaving the tool. Zapier offers code steps but the model is more constrained.
View n8n hosting →AI steps
Both support AI actions. n8n additionally runs as an agent host with LangChain nodes, vector stores, and models you point at yourself, including self-hosted ones.
View AI agent hosting →Data residency
Zapier processes on its own cloud. Self-hosted n8n runs where you place it, which is what makes it viable when a workflow handles regulated or customer data.
View hosting locations →What actually changes between the two.
Neither tool is better in the abstract. These are the dimensions where the choice is genuinely determined.
Connector count01
Zapier is ahead, with thousands more integrations. If your niche SaaS has a Zapier app and no n8n node, that decides it — though n8n's HTTP Request node can call any REST API.
Billing model02
Zapier counts every step as a task. n8n counts one execution per workflow run regardless of step count. Long workflows are dramatically cheaper on n8n.
Who operates it03
Zapier is fully managed and cannot be self-hosted. n8n can be self-hosted, run on n8n Cloud, or run on managed hosting like Darwa.
Ease for non-developers04
Zapier is easier to hand to a marketing or ops colleague. n8n's canvas is more powerful and correspondingly less immediately obvious.
Licence05
n8n uses a source-available Sustainable Use Licence, not a pure open-source licence. Internal business use is permitted; reselling n8n itself as a service is not.
Lock-in06
n8n workflows export as JSON and can move between instances. Zapier automations stay on Zapier.
Products, plans, and regional guidance.
n8n hostingManaged n8n with one-click deploy and persistent workflows.→n8n vs MakeThe other comparison people run before choosing.→n8n cloud vs self-hostedWhich n8n deployment model fits.→AI agent hostingAll eight supported agent applications.→Platform comparisonHow Darwa compares to Railway, Render, Fly.io, and Heroku.→PricingPlans, terms, and renewal pricing.→
Answers before you deploy.
Is n8n cheaper than Zapier?+
For multi-step or high-volume workflows, usually yes, because Zapier bills each step as a task while n8n bills one execution per workflow run. A 20-step workflow run 1,000 times is 20,000 Zapier tasks against 1,000 n8n executions. For a handful of simple two-step automations the difference is small and Zapier's free tier may be enough.
Can Zapier be self-hosted?+
No. Zapier runs only on Zapier's own cloud. If self-hosting is a requirement, n8n is the option of the two, either on your own infrastructure or on managed n8n hosting.
Does n8n have as many integrations as Zapier?+
No. Zapier's connector catalogue is substantially larger. n8n covers several hundred common integrations and its HTTP Request node can call any REST API, which closes most gaps but requires reading the API documentation yourself.
Is n8n open source?+
n8n is source-available under the Sustainable Use Licence rather than a standard open-source licence. You can read, modify, and self-host it for internal business purposes, but you cannot resell n8n itself as a hosted service.
Which is better for AI workflows?+
n8n, for most teams. It ships LangChain nodes, vector-store integrations, and agent tooling, and can call self-hosted models. Zapier supports AI actions but is designed around managed connectors rather than model-level control.
Can I migrate from Zapier to n8n?+
There is no automatic converter. Workflows are rebuilt on the n8n canvas, which is usually quick because the trigger and action pattern is similar. Credentials must be re-entered because exports never contain secrets.
Where can I run n8n without managing servers?+
n8n Cloud is the vendor's own hosted option. Darwa offers managed n8n hosting with one-click deployment, persistent workflow storage, managed HTTPS, and health checks, which keeps the self-hosted cost model without the server administration.